"So This is What You Do All Day?"

In case you're wondering what not to say to a new mom, when visitors ask "So this is what you do all day?" it kind of makes me hate them a little bit.

I'm serving cookies and lemonade because I have a guest in my home—not because it's the only thing I can think of to occupy my time. Sure, I might pick up my crying baby or change his diaper, kind of like you might pet the dog while chatting with a friend over coffee. But no one assumes all you do once your guests depart is dote on Spot for the rest of the day!

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

In addition to taking care of a newborn, I'm recovering physically and mentally from 44 hours of labor; trust me, it's called "labor" for a reason. I learned yesterday that Orthodox Jews say the same prayer after giving birth that they say after a near-death experience. I get that! My body is tired. And still bleeding. It's also getting used to being a 24/7 milk machine.

This is what I do all day. And I do it on eight hours of sleep that I get in two- or three-hour increments. It doesn't start at 9 or end at 5. I eat lunch while folding tiny blankets and haven't found time to go outside since Sunday. I know when you drop in for the afternoon it doesn't look I'm doing like much. But it's the hardest job I've ever done.